Help non-expert develop system and toolchest for 2 computers...

Firewalls: Online Armor (HIPS can be turned off), Outpost (HIPS can be turned off), Zone Alarm Pro, Ghostwall

Classical HIPS: WinPatrol

Policy Restriction HIPS: Defensewall(Firewall), Geswall

Behavior Blockers: Emsisoft A-Squared Mamutu, PC Tools Theatfire(CyberHawk)

AntiVirus: Kaspersky, Avast, Avira, AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, HitMan Pro, Panda Cloud, ClamAV-Immunet, VirusTotal Uploader

Malware Scanners & Removers: EmsiSoft A-Squared (Trojan Specialist + Ikarus AntiVirus), Malware Bytes, SuperAntiSpyware, Windows Defender, SpyWare Blaster (IE & ActiveX focussed), SpyWare Terminator( & HIPS with Shields), Spyware Doctor, Spy Sweeper

Anti Keylogger Specialist: Zemana, SpyShelter, KeyScrambler

Financial Specialist: PrevX SafeOnline(Big 3 + Opera), Trusteer Rapport(Big 3 + Safari), Trust Defender, Safe Central (Identity Theft)

Virtualization/Sandboxes/RollBack: VirtualBox, SandboxIE, BufferZone, Shadow Defender, Returnil, Comodo Time Machine, Wondershare Time Freeze, First Defense ISR, Faronics DeepFreeze

Backup and Drive Imagers: Macrium Reflect

System Hardening: SafeXP, XPantispy, xpy, Security & Privacy Complete, Seconfig XP, The Computer Security Tool

Password Managers: Lastpass, Roboform, Weave, Neo SafeKeys

Hosts Files, Web Filters, & IP Blockers: PearGuardian2 or PeerBlock with BlueTack(IP Blockers), Hostsman with MVPS & HPHosts (OS Hosts File), AdMuncher(dll), OpenDNS (DNS Filtering), Proxomitron or Privoxy or BFilter(Web Proxy Servers - Advanced User)

Reports: HiJack This

Information: Process Explorer, System Explorer, Autoruns, ProcessExplorer, ProcessHacker, What'sRunning, EndTaskPro, A2 HijackFree, SIW, TinyWatcher

Encryption: KeyScrambler, TrueCrypt

WiFi: Hotspot Shield

Anti Spam: Cloudmark, MailWasher

Software Updates: SuMo, Secunia

Erase: Eraser, BleachBit, CCleaner

Oldies But Goldies: Winsonar, ProcessGuard, System Safety Monitor, Trust-no-exe, Proxomitron, PeerGuardian2, Sunbelt Kiero Personal Firewall, Samurai, Dynamic Security Agent, ProSecurity(Real Time Defender), Malware Defender, EQSecure, WWDG

Honorable Mention: Comodo Firewall, PC Tools Firewall, Safe'n'Sec, DriveSentry, PrivateFireWall(Dynamic Security Agent)

Not Gonna Use

Anti Executables: AppRanger, Faronics Anti Executable, PE Guard

Rights Management: LUA, SuRun, SRP, Pretty Good Security, Drop My Rights

 

Ive been trialing the firewalls of late. I like the Online Armor Premium, Outpost 7, ZoneAlarm Pro, and DefenseWall better than the PrivateFireWall, Look'n'Stop, Sunbelt Keiro. Havent tried Comodo or PC Tools. Though any of them would be fine, its great to have so many top notch programs to choose from, many of them free or low cost.

 

Good easy to understand article.

 

Thinking of going with DefenseWall and/or Threatfire/Mamutu on the older desktop and a comprehensive Firewall/Hips like Online Armor, ZoneAlarm Pro, Outpost on the Lappy.

Need to check out the Financial Specialists, Anti Keylogger Specialists, and Sandbox/Virtualization/Rollback programs. Plus Password Managers and perhaps System Hardening.

Not pursuing LUA/Surun/PGS, and DropMyRights.

Still toying with Proxomitron/Privoxy/BFilter/Popilio.

 

Older Desktop - 2GHz Celeron 2gb RAM - Unsophisticated User, Online Banking, Low Risk Surfer

Westell Router Firewall

Updated XP Home SP3 - Admin Rights

Avira Premium - Resident AV/AM with Web Guard & Email Scanner
DefenseWall Personal Firewall - System Wide Software Policy Restriction HIPS - Whitelisting plus Outbound Protection
ThreatFire or Mamutu - System Wide Behavior Blocker HIPS
PrevX SafeOnline - Browser Centric Financial Specialist

Filters - Stay Away from known bad sites

PeerBlock with selected BlueTack lists
HostsMan with MVPS/hpHosts/Malware Domains
OpenDNS with Filters
Admuncher

Firefox 3.6 with AdBlock Plus (EasyList & EasyPrivacy)
Opera 10.53
Chrome
IE8

On Demand

Macrium Reflect - Backup Image just in case, fallback position.

2nd Opinion Scanners & Removers

MBAM
SAS
EmsiSoft A-Squared
Hitman Pro
Panda Cloud

 

Really liked these posts...

 

What are your Firefox security extensions?

 

Firewalls: Online Armor(HIPS can be turned off), Outpost(HIPS can be turned off)

Classical HIPS: WinPatrol

Policy Restriction HIPS: Defensewall(Firewall), Geswall

Behavior Blockers: Emsisoft A-Squared Mamutu, PC Tools Theatfire(CyberHawk)

AntiVirus: Avast, Avira, HitMan Pro, Panda Cloud, AVG, Microsoft Security Essentials, VirusTotal Uploader

Malware Scanners & Removers: EmsiSoft A-Squared(Trojan Specialist + Ikarus AntiVirus), Malware Bytes, SuperAntiSpyware, Windows Defender, SpyWare Blaster (IE & ActiveX focussed), SpyWare Terminator( & HIPS with Shields), Spyware Doctor, Spy Sweeper

Anti Keylogger Specialist: Zemana, SpyShelter, KeyScrambler

Financial Specialist: PrevX SafeOnline(Big 3 + Opera), Trusteer Rapport(Big 3 + Safari)

Virtualization/Sandboxes/RollBack: VirtualBox, SandboxIE, BufferZone, Shadow Defender, Returnil, Comodo Time Machine, Wondershare Time Freeze, First Defense ISR, Faronics DeepFreeze

Backup and Drive Imagers: Macrium Reflect

System Hardening: SafeXP, XPantispy, xpy, Security & Privacy Complete, Seconfig XP, The Computer Security Tool

Password Managers: Lastpass, Roboform, Weave, Neo SafeKeys

Hosts Files, Web Filters, & IP Blockers: PearGuardian2 or PeerBlock with BlueTack(IP Blockers), Hostsman with MVPS & HPHosts(OS Hosts File), AdMuncher(dll), OpenDNS(DNS Filtering), Proxomitron or Privoxy or BFilter(Web Proxy Servers - Advanced User)

Reports: HiJack This

Information: Process Explorer, System Explorer, Autoruns, ProcessExplorer, ProcessHacker, What'sRunning, EndTaskPro, A2 HijackFree, SIW, TinyWatcher

Encryption: TrueCrypt

WiFi: Hotspot Shield

Anti Spam: Cloudmark, MailWasher

Software Updates: SuMo, Secunia

Erase: Eraser, BleachBit, CCleaner

Oldies But Goldies: Winsonar, ProcessGuard, System Safety Monitor, Trust-no-exe, Proxomitron, PeerGuardian2, Sunbelt Kiero Personal Firewall, Samurai, Dynamic Security Agent, ProSecurity(Real Time Defender), Malware Defender, EQSecure, WWDG

Honorable Mention: Comodo Firewall, PC Tools Firewall, Safe'n'Sec Suite, DriveSentry, PrivateFireWall(Dynamic Security Agent), Ghostwall, SafeCentral, ClamAV-Immunet

Not Gonna Use

Anti Executables: AppRanger, Faronics Anti Executable, PE Guard

Rights Management: LUA, SuRun, SRP, Pretty Good Security, Drop My Rights

 

Encountering instability with Outpost. Online Armor is the champion for Firewall on the Lappy. DefenseWall is also a champion being run on the Desktop....however I dont know if I want to use the new one with the Firewall or the classic DefenseWall HIPS. I really liked Outpost, but its stability issues were the deciding factor. Purchasing both DefenseWall (which one I dont know) and Online Armor Premium. Also ditching Winpatrol in favor of more sophisticated HIPS of Online Armor - DefenseWall/Mamutu. Plus Online Armor uses BlueTack IP Blocklists, so will be ditching Peerblock on the Lappy.

SafeCentral is an interesting product, a browser itself used for online banking....reverse Sandboxing. And interesting product, with lots of partners. Makes Honorable Mention.

Trusteer Rapport also good, but doesnt support Opera like PrevX SafeOnline....so PrevX wins. Ill probably go all in with a lisence for Removal with PrevX with SafeOnline.

Online Armor Premium offers Web and Mail Shields, so Ill probably move Avast Free to the Desktop and use Avira or Panda or Hitman Pro on the Lappy.

EDIT: Giving Outpost one more look!

 

Lappy

Westell Router FireWall

XP Home SP3 - Admin Rights

Online Armor Premium
Avira Free
PrevX SafeOnline
KeyScrambler Premium

Macrium Reflect

OpenDNS with Filters
AdMuncher



Desktop

Westell Router Firewall

XP Home SP3 - Admin Rights

DefenseWall Personal Firewall
Avast Free
PrevX SafeOnline
Mamutu

Macrium Reflect

OpenDNS with Filters
Hostsman with MVPS, hpHosts, Malware Domains
PeerBlock with BlueTack lists

 

Tiny Watcher
Sentinel

 

Hey, great thread. I've learned a lot from following along your process; I had already read a lot of bits you cover elsewhere on the forum, but this kinda brought it all together for me.

I noticed it's been a while since your last post and in your sig. you're using OA/Avast/PrevX. You find that a good combo? Do you have HIPS enabled in OA? Which version, Premium or Free? I'm thinking of going with OA myself. Once configured do you get a lot of Firewall/HIPS prompts?

Have you tried Emsisoft AM 5 yet? It rolls Mamutu in with Ikarus and their AM.

And overall what's your feeling on user savvyness with your choices? I'm looking for securing systems for non-tech users and don't want to spend a lot of time teaching them how to use all sorts of fancy steps because I know they will not (a) remember; or (b) want to bother. -- up/downgrade rights, run safer, virtualize, click here, save that, exclude, accept/deny, on and on. My goal is simplicity: in setup, in maintenance and support. I have to think "how will they continue to use the security products I choose for them, if I'm not around to help".

I've been thinking: OA Premium (their whitelisting should reduce prompts) and EAM5 (to cover AV/AM and behavior blocking). But now I've been thinking of looking at PrevX SafeOnline. I figure this combo should be configurable both for me (who likes control and to see/know what's going on) and for them (who don't care, they just want to surf safely).

I also appreciate your "found this" tips. I've been ignoring Chrome all this time, but from your quote from Saraceno I'll be looking more into it (and Kees' posts). I've done a lot of forum searching myself, but with the bewildering amount of information here (nevermind other forums or sites) a person can search all week long and still not find.

TR